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Belle Vue Aces in talks over stadium switch

REVVING UP: How Belle Vue Aces' new stadium world class stadium will look if their plans to move from Kirkmanshulme Lane go ahead
Plans for Belle Vue speedway to have a £6m dream home can be revealed exclusively by the Manchester Evening News.

The World famous Aces have been in secret negotiations for two years to make a move just 100 metres along Kirkmanshulme Lane in Gorton.

The club race at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium but talks to move into a state-of-the-art arena at the Council-owned hockey facility next door are at an advanced stage.

The Aces have been in discussions with senior executives at Manchester City Council and the New East Manchester authority which is driving a massive regeneration of the area for almost ten years.

David Gordon, Belle Vue's Chief Executive, said on Monday night: "The only thing I will confirm is that we have been in discussions with Manchester City Council for some time.

"We have discussed various options. That is the only comment I can make at this moment in time."

The planned stadium would turn Manchester into a world speedway venue as Britain needs a modern facility capable of staging a variety of top international events.

The stadium could attract world-class International Motor Federation events to Manchester to enhance the city's already major reputation for holding top competitions with its positive effects on jobs, hotels, restaurants and bars.

The initial capacity is planned at just over 7,000, with 2,600 people seated in a covered main grandstand.

But this figure could be increased with temporary stands to 16,000 to cater for International Motor Federation World championship events if required.

A spokesperson for New East Manchester said: "Some discussions have taken place and there are a number of options being considered, all of which need to be thoroughly evaluated."

The Aces are the oldest and most famous speedway club in the World with an 82-year unbroken history and, we understand, they are eager to complete negotiations.

Pride of place at the stadium will go to a custom built 340-metre track incorporating the best features of the world's top racing circuits, including the famed Hyde Road racing strip which closed in 1987.

The new arena would be multi purpose as the grass area in the centre of the track would be used for hockey so it could also stage stadium quality sport throughout the year.

It means there will be enhanced facilities for top hockey events at the stadium which staged the Commonwealth Games competition in 2002.

There is also a strong community aspect in the project as the club already have strong local links, especially with schools. Plans also include function rooms, which would cater for up to 400 people, and a residential youth academy to be used for speedway related courses.

Allan Grafton, chairman of the Gorton 100 Committee which campaigns for preserving Gorton's identity, said: "The people of Gorton want Belle Vue to stay in the area. This project is absolutely fantastic and deserves the support from all politicians to ensure it comes to fruition. The Aces are part of Gorton's history and a high proportion of the organisation's support comes from this area and has done for decades."

What do you think? Have your say.

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This could be brilliant for Belle Vue. Less face it, the speedway has not been the same since the Aces had to leave their old Hyde Road Stadium.

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This would be brilliant. Very exciting for Speedway, and for sport in Manchester.

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Very exciting news. Hope all parties work together in seeing this venture through.

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This would be the best thing ever! Belle Vue Aces. We really need our own venue where we're not answerable to anyone but ourselves. Speedway will grow again if this really happens. This is such exciting news!!

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What fantastic news to wake up to on a miserable Tuesday morning! Ive been a life long Aces supporter and this is just what we need to bring the sport in to the 21st century and show that Manchester isnt only famous for Football, that another fantastic sport resides in this great City! Big well done to the promotion on such a positive drive for the sport and let’s hope all our dreams come true in 2010!

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What a fantastic opportunity for Manchester and Belle Vue Speedway this will be a very effective addition to the 'Sports City' portfolio. World Speedway events back in Manchester will be an important feather in Manchester's cap that will also bring a lot of people to our City.

John Evans

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What great news for "The Aces"..hope it will all work out.Speedway needs to be given a break now and again for something like this to materialise. Maybe a sport that does not and cannot afford to spend big money can get lucky and bring success to Manchester.Good Luck...hope all parties involved pull in the same direction and not opposite.
Denise, Rep of Ireland

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This is a magnificent venture and I hope it comes off.Not only would the Aces have a new home,it would also attract major speedway events like the World Team Cup,Elite League Riders Championship etc.
Coupled with the options of other sporting events it would be a great venue that will hopefully bring in the crowds again.
Fingers crossed that it materialises.

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Belle Vue and Manchester Council must move heaven and earth to make this happen.

The plans look absolutely brilliant. Just what is needed.

Sharing with a hockey stadium would be so much better than the current track at the Greyhound stadium where Stock cars ruin the track and there is little time to work on repairing the track because it is so busy with Greyhound meetings.

It has always been felt that Manchester Council have neglected Speedway since allowing the wonderful old Hyde Road stadium to be demolished. This would really show the council doing something very positive for Speedway as they have done with so many other sports.

Lets make it happen.





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FANTASTIC NEWS.... Belle Vue deserve a special place to perform and it is great to see the City of Manchester getting behind this project. World class sport has been a feature of Manchester for decades with the Aces at the forefront. Over the years millions of fans have visited our City to watch this true family sport. WELL DONE MANCHESTER... T Hall, Denton.

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What great news! Hopefully this will come off and we can present our sport in the way it should be rather than under the rules of the GRA. Manchester City Council have got to see how this can only bring positive things to Manchester!

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What great news this is. Hopefully between the local councils and the aces management this venture can go forwards to creating the top speedway and hockey centre in the country.

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This would be fantastic,what we've been waiting for.
A fantastic opportunity to show Manchester that speedway can be a fantastic sport in a modern stadium.A generation has passed by since we had our own stadium in 1987 and this is just what we need to re-generate interest in our spectacular sport.

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Belle Vue Speedway has brought millions of fans to our great city over many decades,at last it appears we may get the chance to put them back in a truely World Class venue.
Top flight family sport close to the City centre..... Pure genius Manchester !!!!!!!

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I really hope this comes off. This is just what the sport of speedway needs in this country, a purpose built speedway stadium. It'll also be great for the Aces - the most famous and proud speedway club in the world. Best of luck to everyone involved.

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Fantastic news for the sport and for the community.

It would be great to see the Aces in a top class arena and riding on a racers track again. Let's hope it comes to fruition

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This would be superb for Belle Vue speedway and the local community, with a state of the art multi purpose facility. The club would have the base to take it to a level all the supporters have only ever dreamed of. Please make it happen !!

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This news has made an old man very happy!

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Absolutely fantastic news!!! The plans look amazing and it would be the best thing to happen for speedway in a long time. A stadium like this would raise the profile of not only speedway, but other sports in Manchester as well, and make it THE place to be!!
I pray that this venture comes off as it would be a fantastic move for everyone involved.

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Absolutely fantastic news!!! The plans look amazing and it would be the best thing to happen for speedway in a long time. A stadium like this would raise the profile of not only speedway, but other sports in Manchester as well, and make it THE place to be!!
I pray that this venture comes off as it would be a fantastic move for everyone involved.

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fanastic news, this would be great for Manchester, Belle Vue Aces and British Speedway in general.
Would be great to see a return to Saturday evening racing, this would surely attract more support for the Aces and the away side.

What can we do to help make this happen ? All those supporters who have stayed away come back and show that it would be worthwhile.

Fingers crossed, lets make it happen.

Exciting times.

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Oh my word what fantastic news. Well done to the management team and lets hope the plans go ahead!!! I know all the Belle Vue supporters will be 100% behind this.

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This is fantastic news for Belle Vue, the most famous Club in speedway deserves a venue like this!
Of course it wouldn't just benefit speedway, but sport and the City of Manchester in general, I really hope that this can happen.

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I hope this goes ahead. A new home for the aces with a good racing surface and stands which allow a decent view of the track will only help to attract the fans back.

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This is fantastic news for Belle Vue! The most famous Club in speedway deserves a venue like this.
Of course it wouldn't just benefit speedway, but sport and the City of Manchester in general. I really hope this can happen.

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